Everything felt different now.
Not because the world had changed…
But because he had.
The same hospital room.
The same walls.
The same silence.
But nothing felt familiar anymore.
Because the person who made everything feel like home…
No longer remembered me.
I stood outside his room for a long time.
My hand resting on the door.
But I couldn't push it open.
Not yet.
Not after what happened yesterday.
Not after hearing him say—
"I don't know her."
That sentence kept replaying in my mind.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Taking a deep breath, I finally opened the door.
Slowly.
Carefully.
He was awake.
Sitting on the bed.
Talking to her.
Victoria.
She sat beside him… closer than she should have.
Comfortable.
Like she belonged there.
And the worst part?
He didn't move away.
They were laughing.
Talking.
Like nothing was wrong.
Like everything was normal.
For a second…
I just stood there.
Watching.
Unable to move.
This was the same place…
Where I once sat beside him.
Held his hand.
Waited for him to wake up.
And now…
I didn't even have the right to stand near him.
Victoria noticed me first.
Of course she did.
Her smile didn't fade.
But her eyes changed.
"Oh… you're still here," she said casually.
Still here.
Like I was some unwanted guest.
I ignored her.
My eyes were on him.
Only him.
"James…" I said softly.
He looked at me.
For a moment…
I hoped.
Hoped for something.
Anything.
But there was nothing.
"Yes?" he replied.
Polite.
Distant.
It hurt.
More than anything.
"I brought your reports," I said, placing them on the table.
He nodded.
"Thanks."
That's it.
No questions.
No curiosity.
No connection.
Just a simple "thanks."
Victoria leaned slightly towards him.
"You should rest," she said gently.
"You're still recovering."
He nodded.
"You're right."
Her voice was soft.
Caring.
Almost… intimate.
And he listened.
He listened to her…
The way he once listened to me.
Something inside me tightened.
"Doctor said he needs peace," she added, glancing at me.
I understood what she meant.
Leave.
But I didn't move.
Not this time.
"I'm his wife," I said, my voice steady but firm.
Silence filled the room.
Victoria raised an eyebrow slightly.
Amused.
James looked at me.
Confused.
"You keep saying that," he said slowly.
Keep saying that.
Like it was just a claim.
Not the truth.
"Because it's true," I replied.
He frowned slightly.
"I don't remember that," he said.
"And I don't feel it either."
That line…
It didn't just hurt.
It destroyed me.
Because memories can be lost.
But feelings?
If even those were gone…
Then what was left?
Victoria stood up.
Slowly.
Gracefully.
"Well," she said lightly, "feelings can't be forced."
Her words were calm.
But sharp.
I looked at her.
And for the first time…
I saw it clearly.
She wasn't just here to support him.
She was here to take him back.
The next few days…
Things got worse.
Victoria started coming every day.
Morning.
Evening.
Sometimes even late at night.
And every time…
She got closer.
Closer to him.
She brought him food.
Talked to him.
Made him laugh.
And he let her.
Without hesitation.
Without distance.
Meanwhile…
I became invisible.
If I spoke…
He listened politely.
If I stayed silent…
He didn't notice.
If I left…
He didn't stop me.
I wasn't part of his world anymore.
I was just…
Someone who claimed to be.
One evening…
I found them together again.
But this time…
It was different.
Too close.
She was sitting beside him.
Their hands…
Almost touching.
And he didn't move away.
Something inside me snapped.
"Enough," I said.
Both of them looked at me.
Victoria looked annoyed.
James looked confused.
"You need to stop this," I said, my voice shaking.
"Stop what?" he asked.
"This… this closeness… this pretending like nothing matters!"
He frowned.
"I don't understand what you're talking about."
"Of course you don't," I laughed bitterly.
"You don't remember anything."
Silence.
"I'm your wife!" I said, louder this time.
The words echoed in the room.
But they didn't change anything.
Because his next words…
Were worse than before.
"Even if that's true…"
He paused.
"I don't feel anything for you."
Everything stopped.
My breath.
My thoughts.
My world.
Because that wasn't memory loss.
That was rejection.
And it hurt more than anything else.
Victoria stepped closer to him.
Almost protectively.
"You're making him uncomfortable," she said.
Uncomfortable.
That's what I was now.
Not his love.
Not his wife.
Just…
A problem.
I stepped back slowly.
My eyes still on him.
Waiting.
Hoping.
But he didn't stop me.
Didn't call my name.
Didn't even try.
And that's when I realized—
I had already lost him.
Not because he forgot.
But because…
He didn't try to remember.
As I walked out of the room…
Tears blurred my vision.
But I didn't stop.
Because staying there…
Was hurting more than leaving.
Behind me…
The door closed.
And with it…
A part of my life.
I was his wife…
But I had no place beside him anymore.
And slowly…
Someone else was taking the place that once belonged to me